The Process of Creation an Art Project - Coursework Example

PROCESS OF THE PROJECT I chose a ball as the model for the globe for the obvious reason, i.e. is round. After debating with several sizes, I decided to use a ball of the dimensions (XXXXX) as this felt to me to be the ideal size to give good "canvas" space without being to small to put my message across or too big thus becoming an impossible task I covered the ball with earth to form the background with which to work with. I played around with different soil types but decided on fine grained soil as this would not give too many bumps on the finished work. I then demarcated the land and the sea areas, selecting pictures representing what I wanted to portray for each. For the sea, I chose pictures of the sea in varying states, from calm seas to violently stormy seas showing differing color intensities. For the land I chose some pictures showing greenery and beautiful landscapes, placing these on a small fraction of the land sections. I decided against using any animal pictures as this were not quite in line with what I was planning. The rest of the land section I covered with pictures of factories, large buildings and garbage to show the dire situation that our land is in. The more fuming the factory scenes were the better! I also have pictures of pipes leading to the seas, showing how industrial and domestic activities are polluting our earth. I put a lot off effort in the selection of the pictures, a time consuming process. I shaped all the continents while continuing with the cube style. It was difficult to use cubes for the continents. Some were not too co-operative, but I am pleased with the final outcome. The style I chose for my work was largely influenced by the works of artists David Hockney, who chose photographs for collages as well as Camille Zakharia for the cube technique. I was also greatly influenced by Charles Fazzino who works with 3-D in Styrofoam as I have done here. This meant that I had to cut the pictures to exact sizes before I could use them. I also overlapped them slightly so that each picture became a part of the next and did not stand out individually. To show how the situation we are in today is largely due to the work of our own hands, I created plaster jips of my own hands. This was difficult as the gimps kept breaking or cracking until I ran out of the jips issued at school. I replaced these with a cheaper quality jip that did not work so well. This process took up much of my time and effort. There is need to continue practicing Continuing the cube approach as well as the good and evil theme, one of the hands (the 'good' or nature one) is covered with cubed photographs of greenery and beautiful things such as plants and flowers to represent the progress made by environmentalists in trying to save the earth. I also chose some greenery to go around the base of the hand. This had to be as beautiful as possible to draw a person to the loveliness that can be achieved when one nurtures nature. The 'bad' hand is covered by similar pictures to those covering the land spaces on the globe. These represent all the evil work that man continues to do to the planet. In contrast to the good hand that is cradling the earth, the bad hand 'claws' into the earth, tearing it apart and causing destruction. Part of me wanted to tear the pictures around the claws, maybe make it a little rough but I was not sure I could pull it off so I left it for when I have greater confidence and time. The hand is covered in garbage and dump heaps. This hand also has pipes leading to the background filled with space pictures. In contemplating this stage, I chose to do this so that I can show the balance that earth hangs in the solar system as well as the destructive consequences of mans activities with time. The pipes are a reflection of the influence of our activities on polluting the solar system. On the other hand, the balance of the earth lies in our hands and that is why the nature hand cradles the earth.The space background also helps in portraying the 3D visual effect of earth in space and I covered this in stars and solar system pictures. This meant covering the base as completely as possible without exposing the connection of the hands to the platform, while maintaining the cubes, a process that required a skill that I believe I showed. ARTIST STATEMENT "Man Untamed". Two words portraying the underlying message of my project. Without the control, the inevitable result is that man WILL destroy the earth. My piece puts this message across simplistically. It is important to realize that increased consumption and increased industrialization destroys the world. Influenced by artists such as David Hockney and Charles Fazzino, my work has a pop art element, employing aspects of cubism and photo collage. I used line, color and shape in contrast to give emphasis. For instance, varying tones of blue for the sea adds to the contrast with the land areas while adding to the appearance that the water is "moving". The colors are also reflected on the background, drawing the eye across the work. The cube concept provides interconnecting lines drawing the eye from one panel to the next. Different shapes of land masses provide a variety that prevents loss of interest. Identifiable pictures give a personal touch, where, in identifying with the scene, the point is driven. Pipes show how far reaching the consequences of our actions are. I have positively utilized space with 2D and 3D portrayals, introducing my own styles and techniques and retaining originality. The hands show that the future of the world lies with us. We can either "cradle" earth, nurturing her to a brighter future, or continue "clawing" into earth without consideration to the destruction and how far reaching the consequences are. The choice is, and always will remain in the hands of the individual. SELF CRITIQUE A. Formal analysis I have used 2D as well as a 3D form for my composition (2D pictures, 3D globe and hands) with many implied lines that keep the eye focused [1] (arrow to edge of a cube). This alternation of shape adds greater depth to the piece. For instance, while the cubed pictures are flat (implying 2D), each picture has a 3D aspect to it, an effect created with much planning. The contrast of colors representing one part of the piece [2] (draw arrow to different shades in the sea), picked up by tones in other areas [3] (arrow to the background and on the hands) pulls the eye along the entire piece and brings a balance by preventing only one part from standing out as well as a certain rhythm . Blue tones in the sea are reflected on the land areas as well as on garbage scenes on the bad hand and on the stars on the background. Green tones on the land are also picked up on greenery pictures on the good hand. This moves the eye from left to right as well as top to bottom. Placement of the contrasting colors was deliberately done to create such an effect. The implied movement of the hands brings the eye back to the globe [4] (arrow to clawing action of hand or cupping action); giving vibrancy to the piece. I used this to keep with the pop theme. There is a good utilization of the space, both positive, in that the space occupied by the pieces in not too big with each part interconnected and negative, in that the spaces between each interconnected section are not too small to create crowding. The spaces are also not too large so as to make one lose of focus, with good proportions between each part of the project (height being similar to width) that brings about a unity. It was important to do this to keep the elements together in a controlled space setting. By repeating the cube on each object, (globe, hands and platform), balance is also created, producing an overall pleasing work of art. B. The Big question The focal point of the composition is the effect that consumption has on the environment. By placing the globe on a pair of hands with opposing themes I feel I have helped bring more focus to that theme. The hands not only point out the globe and the pictures on it but also puts emphasis that the more we take, the worse the situation gets, while at the same time, the more we give, the better the situation can get. Also by arranging fewer greener patches, I have shown that the resources we have to exploit are fewer and we cannot afford to continue taking without preserving. I could have done a better job of mixing the resources (green patches) with the garbage, showing that the little we have is surrounded by much more garbage and that the areas are getting smaller everyday. C. Translate I would entitle the composition,"the work of untamed man" because if the consumption of man remains unchecked, he runs wild and destroys the earth. It can only be the work of an untamed creature that continues to destroy the very thing that sustains his life. This internal wildness is portrayed by the bad hand which is symbolic of that part within man that seeks to destroy what you hold in your hand. I tried to visualize this concept pictorially by use of pictures that state the underlying theme. I also alternated 2D and 3D in my work to bring an excitement and a 'pop' element. The work has a rhythm of its own crated by use of color tones and line symmetries. D. Evaluation The main idea behind my project was to show how consumption affects the environment and I believe that I achieved that. In planning and execution of the project I used the diary mainly as a retrospective look at the progress I was making. The diary was mainly a look at what I wanted to put across and how far I had gone with it, what approach I finally went with. This worked very well for me as I was not restricted by set down ideas and kept me creative. I must admit that the task I set for myself was great as a large collage is not easy to accomplish. Also the sculpture was a great challenge for me. I still need to go back and find what exactly I did differently. I believe that I did a good job and that the concepts of photo collage in a 3D setting worked very well for me, showing creativity and a mastery of art techniques. I am considering staying with this medium to improve my technique even further. For example, I am considering alternating the sizes of the cubes I use to add emphasis to the focal point. I could also elevate the land masses slightly, fray the edges of the sea and land pictures joining the two to blend together or use solid shapes of pipes instead of pictures leading into the sea. E. Effort, Growth and Commitment It goes without saying that completing a task as big as this requires dedication and I am pleased that I managed to complete it to more than my own satisfaction. When I began this project I had not fully appreciated how much work it would involve and it took a lot of commitment to purpose to complete it. In selecting the pictures it took a lot of time and I could not always get the exact picture for a certain panel that I needed. I also need more practice with modeling so my next project will include this aspect. Personally, it has taken much out of me, ironically in the same way as what I portrayed. This went a long way in helping achieve what I did because it did not remain an abstract concept but a portrayal of the process I was going through. Several of the garbage photographs were in keeping with the frustrations I was experiencing! I had to use a lot of effort to keep the pieces uniform as well as the layering process. Working with glue as well as with well calculated cubes is time consuming, messy and frustrating. I had to slow done the pace significantly. It also took skill to layer the pictures in the manner that I did as well as to balance the globe in the hands exactly right. The process has taught me patience and self discipline; such a work can never be a slap-dash affair. In being patient I could get in touch with inner creativity, i.e. ideas I would not have ordinarily entertained. I began to see the work ahead clearer. For instance, it was during one of these slower moments that I got the idea to put the pipes to the background. . As an artist I have grown in that after this project I feel I can tackle any large project in the same vain. I am considering working with the same media but adding on other ideas to come up with a style that is truly mine. Read More